I don't know if Andrew Cogliano is ever going to play his way back into the long-term plans of the Edmonton Oilers, but I can't help but think his best chance to do it will come in the next month.

That window of opportunity swings open tonight against the Buffalo Sabres, when he'll line up between Dustin Penner and Ales Hemsky on coach Tom Renney's second line. It'll stay open as long as Renney leaves him there, or until Shawn Horcoff returns from the sprained knee that has him on the shelf.

Jeff Petry was the Oilers first draft choice in 2006, 45th overall. After being drafted he spent one more season in Des Moines in the USHL, then three years of NCAA at Michigan State University, 32 games in Oklahoma in the AHL and tonight he will make his NHL debut. Petry looked decent at the rookie camp in Penticton in September, and showed even better at main camp and in the preseason, and this evening he will become the 5th Oiler to make his NHL debut this season.

This is Martin Marincin at the World Junior's a year ago. The Team Slovakia defender (and Oilers draft pick) is engaging Nazem Kadri on December 29, 2009. It looks like an effective play by the defender. Oiler draft picks are delivering more of the same at the Buffalo World Juniors this week.

Behold the Canadian Male. Full swing into the Christmas Season of Hibernation he shan't leave his couch for days. The big morning is now behind him and there ain't not nuthin' to do until the New Year but watch WJC, eat wings and - oh what's this?

This is Sean Couturier. The big (6.03, 192 and barely 18) power winger enters this year's Wolrld Junior Championships as the number one overall prospect for the 2011 draft. Although Oiler fans concede the Islanders and Devils are too dreadful to catch, Couturier isn't the only name they can watch Boxing week with an eye to the 2011 draft.